Destruction of pollutants and microorganisms in water by UV light and hydrogen peroxide

This project investigated the destruction of organic compounds and microorganisms in water by ultraviolet catalyzed oxidation using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing agent. The combination of UV light and hydrogen peroxide was effective in decomposing all of the organic compounds studied. The rates of destruction increased with increasing peroxide concentration and UV light intensity, and were highly dependent on chemical structure. The destruction of mixtures of organic compounds showed strong interactions between reacting components. The inactivation of E. coli and B. subtilis spores by UV light and/or hydrogen peroxide was studied in flat plate reactors. By using thin liquid films, the combination of UV light and peroxide greatly increased the rates of inactivation of both microorganisms. The results were correlated by a mixed second order kinetic model.